subs. (old).—1. A prowler, MOUCHER (q.v.): spec. one questing for opportunities of theft or harlotry: also (later) NIGHT-WALKER and STREET-WALKER.
c. 1380. Pierce the Plowman’s Crede [E.E.T.S.], 90.
| Wepyng, y warne ȝow · of WALKERS aboute; | |
| It beþ enemyes of þe cros · þat crist upon þolede. |
1544. ASCHAM, Toxophilus. Men that hunt so be privy stealers, or NIGHT WALKERS.
1620. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Chances, ii. 1.
| Sure these fellows | |
| Were NIGHT-SNAPS. | |
| Ibid. (1614), The NIGHT-WALKER, or the Little Thief [Title]. |
1637. MASSINGER, The Guardian, v. 2.
| Ador. You have been, | |
| Before your lady gave you entertainment, | |
| A NIGHT-WALKER in the streets. | |
| Mirt. How, my good lord! | |
| Ador. Traded in picking pockets. |
1664. ETHEREGE, The Comical Revenge, iv. 2. Grace. Do you take me for a NIGHT-WALKER, Sir?
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Batchelor, i. 5. The knight was alone, and had fallen into the hands of some NIGHT-WALKERS, who, I suppose, would have pillaged him.
1708. E. HATTON, New View of London [quoted in J. ASHTON’S Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne], vii., 238. Loose and disorderly Servants, NIGHT-WALKERS, Strumpets, etc.
c. 1707. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, iii. 99. Now Miss turn NIGHT-WALKER.
2. (old).—In pl. = the feet.
1603. CHAPMAN, Iliad, xx. 36.
| And with them halted down | |
| (Proud of his strength) lame Mulciber, his WALKERS quite misgrown. |
3. (colloquial).—A postman [HOTTEN: from an old song called, ‘WALKER, the twopenny postman.’]
HOOKEY WALKER (or WALKER), intj. (common).—1. An ironical expression of incredulity, BENDER (q.v.), GAMMON (q.v.); also (2) Be off! Clear out! (GROSE, VAUX, Lexicon Balatronicum).
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘The Lay of the Old Woman Clothed in Grey.’
| Her senses were wand’ring—she seem’d not to hear, | |
| Or, at least, understand,—for mere unmeaning talk her | |
| Parch’d lips babbled now,—such as ‘Hookey!’—and ‘WALKER!’ |
1843. DICKENS, A Christmas Carol [1843], p. 169. ‘Buy it,’ said Scrooge. ‘WALKER!’ said the boy.
1840. ‘Characters of Freshmen’ (C. WHIBLEY, ed. In Cap and Gown, 183). The pestilent freshman … is very pugnacious, and walking in the streets suddenly turneth and asketh a huge snob ‘what the deuce he meant by that?’ Whereat the snob (having done nothing at all) coolly answereth (as the Pestilent Freshman intended he should) HOOKY WALKER, provocative of a combat.
